Folding portable shelf



Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a folding shelf which may be shifted readily tobe used from place to place and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a shelf that may be readily 5 secured upon a smoothvertical support such as a pane of glass or the like, making itparticularly adapted for holding paint and paint brushes for signpainting purposes;

Second, to provide a folding portable shelf of this class with novelhinge structure for holding the shelf in relation toits support butpermitting the ready folding of the same;

Third, to provide a shelf of this class which is exceptionally sturdy inaccordance with its size and weight;

Fourth, to provide a folding portable shelf of this class which is soconstructed and arranged that it folds up closely so that it may beeasily carried from place to place; and

Fifth, to provide a folding portable shelf of this class which is verysimple and economical of construction, easy to apply, efficient in itsaction, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination, and arrangement of parts and portions as will behereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and tothe characters of reference thereon which form a part of thisapplication in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my folding portable shelf openedup ready for use; Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken from the line 2-2 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view shown on an enlarged scale and showingthe shelf fragmentarily; Fig. 4 is an end view and Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the shelf and support folded up ready for transportation.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawing:

The shelf support I, adhesive members 2, hinge members 3, and shelfmember 4 constitute the principal parts and portions of my foldableportable shelf.

The shelf support I is a flat sheet metal member provided with areenforcing ledge Ia along its normally upper side and with ledges lband I at its ends. It is provided with a pair of transverse slots Id andla in spaced relation to each other as shown best in Figs. 1 and of thedrawing. Mounted on the inner side of this member I over these slots Iband I0 are the adhesive members 2 which are preferably an adhesive tapewith'the adhesive side against the outer side of the member I andextending from side to side of said member over the slots Idzand Ie andextending some distance from the edges of said slots Id and Ie so thatthese members 2 are secured by the adhesive to this inner side of themember I over the slots. This provides that the adhesive may be pressedthrough the slots for engagement with any smooth surface for supportingthe member I, it being here noted that these slots Id and Ie of theadhesives 2 may be positioned longitudinally of the member I or in otherdirections to provide such support. The member I is also provided withholes I f and Ig near its opposite upper corners adapted to receive anail or hook or other supporting means for supporting the member I insome instances where it is not satisfactory to use the adhesive members2 for supporting said member I. The lower edge of the member I issubstantially plain and it is provided with a plurality of extendedcurved hinge portions 3 which extend down through holes or slots 40,which extend through the members 4 near one side as shown best in Fig. 3of the drawing. These hinge members 3 are curved and extend sidewaysunder the shelf member some distance, then extend upwardly at asubstantial right angle portion 3a against which the lower side of theshelf member 4 rests. This permits the shelf member 4 to shift whenfolding the same in the slots 4a in curved form so that the lower sideof the member 4 rests against the portion 3a when the shelf is foldedrelatively to the support as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing and vasshown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. This shelf member 4 is provided withextending ledges on its four sides 4b, 4c, 4d and 4e. The ledge 41)forms a support against which the support I rests when the shelf is inunfolded position and ready for use, while the ledges 4c, 4d and 4e formside walls for the shelf and also reenforcing for said shelf. It will benoted that in the preferred form of construction as shown, support I isslightly narrower than the shelf member 4 so that it will fold withinthe member as shown best in Fig. 5 of the drawing.

It will be noted, however, that the shape may be changed if desired andonly single adhesive used, either transversely or at right anglesthereto, if desired, or the support I may be extended so that it isconsiderably wider than the shelf if desired.

The operation of my folding portable shelf is substantially as follows:

If it is desired to usethe shelf for signs on windows or other smoothupright surfaces, the support I is placed against the surface and withthe finger the adhesive member 2 is depressed through the slots Id andle against the upright smooth surface and is secured by the adhesivemember, the member 4 having first been opened up at substantially rightangles to the member I and supported as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawing on the hinge portion 3a and with the ledge 4b restingagainst the back side and the shelf is ready for use. To remove it, allthat is necessary is to take hold of the outer edge of the shelf andgive a quick jerk and the support is thus released from the smoothsurface and the support I is then folded into the shelf 4 as shown inFig. 5 of the drawing. Or, if it is desired, to use the shelf beforefolding, it may be secured by pressing the adhesive through the slots Idand le against another smooth upright surface. If it is desired to hangthe shelf permanently on a nail or hook or other means, the holes If andI g are placed over the hook or nail members and the shelf is ready foruse.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction,combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to belimited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement,but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction,combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding portable shelf structure of the class described, thecombination of a normally vertical metallic supporting member providedwith a plurality of integral extended curved hinge portions providedwith right angle turned terminals, and a shelf member provided withslots adapted to receive said integral curved hinge portion said rightangle turned terminals forming stops for supports for said shelf when infolded or unfolded position.

2. In a folding-portable structure shelf of the class described, thecombination of a normally vertical metallic supporting member providedwith a plurality of integral extended curved hinge portions providedwith right angle turned terminals, a shelf member provided with slotsadapted to receive said integral curved hinge portion, said right angleturned terminals forming stops for supports for said shelf when infolded or unfolded position said shelf provided with a flange adjacent'said slots adapted to rest against said support adjacent said hingeportion when the shelf is in unfolded position.

FLOYD L. BUNCH.

